Relieving the Stress
by Crazy PurpleSage
Summary: Naruto has had enough. It's just too much. But how does he cope? He laughs like a maniac! Hopefully Sasuke can help relieve the stressed blonde. SasuNaru.
1. Chapter 1

_**Relieving the Stress**_

_Disclaimer: Don't own Naruto, too well, oh bad __(isn't that a funny phrase. Or maybe it's just me!) _

He stomped his feet, twisted his body around as far as possible, crossed and un-crossed his arms, frowned as deep as he could, stuck out his tongue, gripped his fingers across his face, gave a disgruntled cry as loud and hard as he could, and all but slammed himself down on the floor, before breaking out into hysterical laughter.

He was frustrated, stressed, depressed, sleep-deprived, confused, lost, disassociated with everything, and anything else that you can think of.

So, his way of coping, or rather going beyond the point of being able to cope, is laughing. Uncontrollably. He put on an act of such a sunny disposition that it began to seep into the borders of insanity. How could no one tell that he was faking? Why must he keep up this excessive amiable personality and brash loudness when it was so unbecoming of a ninja?

It was really all too much. Add that to a bit too much stress and he breaks. Unlike the common theory, he was in fact a human being; not an animal or demon, but a human being who needs to just take a break from-sigh- _life_sometimes.

Another odd thing about this boy, was that his body's way of responding to stress, sleep-deprivation, and yeah all the rest, was the urge to _laugh_as mentioned before. Horribly and disgustingly. He couldn't stop himself, even though he so desperately wanted to.

Thinking of something sad never worked. He was too accustomed to sadness, abuse, and hate; he was almost immune to such thoughts. So what the heck was wrong with him? His laughter became more desperate and his eyes bugged out in a silent plea for it all to stop.

A knock came at the door.

Ughh! He really _couldn't _deal with anyone right now. Unfortunately they had doubtlessly heard his maniac laugh by now, and ignoring them would be useless. So, he got up to answer the door, trying so hard to stop his laughter that was far from happy or gleeful. Plus, he did not want to have to burden another hateful and confused glare sent his way. Not right now, not ever again.

Laughter slightly under control, but a dopey grin still evident, and unable to be shaken no matter how hard he forced his face muscles, he twisted the handle to see Uchiha Sasuke.

"I'm not in the mood teme." He quickly said, with the corners of his mouth still upturned ridiculously, before he moved to shut the door in the other boy's face.

However, Sasuke was a bit faster this time, and gave the door a shove back in the blonde's face before letting himself in. He gave the blonde a weird look, ignoring the combined glare and grin he was receiving. Odd. What was he constipated?

"What's wrong dobe?" the same monotone voice masking any worry, confusion, or curiosity he might be having for the hyperactive idiot in front of him.

"Nothing's wrong, everything is fine. Please just leave." He looked a bit comical, as though he spoke with something sour in his mouth while telling Sasuke that it tasted like chocolate in a forced voice. He then gave a slight cry at the end, close to a sob, but not entirely. "I just can't handle – _ANYTHING- _right now. Just go!" He looked quite distressed that his pleas were being ignored.

Sasuke continued to stare, now showing his confusion and concern in his eyes; unable to hold it back any longer.

"Naruto, tell me what are you talking about. What's gotten you so upset?"

That took the abnormal smile off Naruto's face and looked up at Sasuke in shock. Why does he care? He used my name!

Like a damn breaking; he completely broke down. Falling roughly to the floor, hands covering his crumbling features as his eyes dissolved into tears. True sobs and tremors racked his body, and this time he didn't even try to stop it even if he could have.

Sasuke stood stock-still, taking in this new and unexpected sight that took place in a matter of seconds.

Still waiting for an answer, he wasn't disappointed when Naruto began to scream as loud as he ever had in his entire life. Sasuke's reflexes forced his fingers to fly to his ears, but he still heard the one word that reverberated across the room and out into the village.

"EVERYTHING!"

Naruto stayed put on the ground, though his sobs subsided as he probably had lost his voice for awhile.

Did he always feel like that? Maybe all the A-rank missions this past month finally got to him. It doesn't matter; it never should have been able to get this far. It shouldn't have taken an overload of stress to bring it out.

An acute pain flashing in his chest at the thought, as well as seeing the blonde on the floor like that, Sasuke knelt down next to Naruto and wrapped his arms around his slighter frame. He proceeded to squeeze the life out of him, not saying a word. No amount of words could help right now, that much he knew.

Naruto automatically began to squeeze back just as hard, if not harder.

The two stayed connected for a few minutes until breathing became somewhat difficult. Whereupon, Naruto slackened in Sasuke's hold, and fell as a dead-weight in his arms. Fresh tears poured down his face, he buried his head in Sasuke's chest. Sasuke just continued to hold him, rubbing his back, rocking him, and trying to calm him with his lulling voice.

Afternoon turned to dusk by the time Sasuke lifted Naruto up and into the kitchen. Setting him in a chair he went around looking for some instant ramen. He set about the kitchen as if he had always lived here.

Placing a steaming bowl of his favourite noodles in front of him Naruto seemed to perk-up a bit. Breaking apart the chopsticks with a snap he whispered, "Itadakimasu", and began to eat, though a little slower than usual.

Once finished, Sasuke took the bowl away, and then lead Naruto to the couch. He sat cross-legged facing the spaced-out blonde and waited.

Hours passed, neither expression changing. Worried vs. Depressed and Thoughtful.

The dark was throwing a hazy shade over both their vision before Naruto finally spoke.

"Thanks" the word was whispered in a hoarse voice.

Sasuke blinked, barely able to see Naruto anymore, but looking his way anyway. Naruto continued still looking ahead.

"Sometimes it's just too much. There's no relief, reprieve of any kind. Always more, and no one to vent to, just to talk about what's really bothering me. I guess I bottle up too much, as crazy as that sounds." He shrugged, no trace of laughter or self-abuse coming through in his voice.

Shocked at the dull voice coming from the normally peppy shinobi, Sasuke felt the need to comfort the boy. "You always have me." Naruto swiveled his head so fast that his neck cracked.

"Really Naruto, I don't like to see you like this. It hurts me. Why can't you just talk about it sometime?"

Bewilderment set lines in his forehead, but Naruto let Sasuke keep talking.

"Stop trying to put on a show for others, and do something for yourself. It's okay to be selfish sometimes."

Naruto nodded, he didn't know that Sasuke had noticed, or maybe he just figured it out. Who knows?

"Promise me?" Sasuke leaned forward and enveloped the other in a hug for the second time that day, but this time Naruto wasn't hysterical and completely out of it.

Though surprised, Naruto swiftly returned the hug with just as much fierceness.

"I promise. Kitto."

"Good, now you're going to bed. It's much too late anyway." Picking him up once again, he went to lay him on the antique of a bed. He covered him with the fading orange comforter, and then climbed in next to him. Sasuke wrapped himself around the blonde protectively and comfortingly. Naruto sighed and snuggled closer into Sasuke's arms.

"Oyasuminasai Naruto-kun"

"Oyasuminasai Sasuke-kun"

Owari?

Okay, what'd you think? Good enough to continue or just leave it as a one-shot. This really was just my own venting, but it really helped and I like how it turned out, somewhat. Reviews on your thoughts are highly recommended. ;)


	2. Chapter 2

_**Stress Relieved **_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto_

Naruto awoke the next morning to the tight pressure encircling his waist, but refused to open his eyes feeling comfortable and safe. His mind felt so much calmer than yesterday; at ease and undisturbed. It was a shock to be able to think so peacefully. He searched his memories to remember what had happened yesterday. Why did everything about him feel okay for once?

"Sasuke?" he whispered _'That's right – I completely broke down, and Sasuke, he comforted me! He said he cared! _

"Hn, dobe?" Naruto slowly, almost disbelievingly, opened his eyes. His raised lids immediately let in the bright sun which contrasted sharply with the staring black, almost blue, irises in front of his vision, looking right at him as though he had been watching him for awhile now. But what was truly shocking was that Sasuke was smiling! Well, it was more of a soft grin of one who was happy with the situation they were in.

"Ohayou Naru-kun" Sasuke pulled him even closer. "Feeling better?" Sasuke rubbed his back with the hand that was not clenched securely around his waist. Naruto leaned into Sasuke's touch.

"Why?" Naruto barely raised his voice enough to be audible if not for Sasuke's proximity. Needless to say, Sasuke heard and understood that single word.

"Because I care for you dobe. You're special to me and I don't think you know that like you should."

Naruto was speechless. This was definitely a new feeling to him. To feel cared for and loved, to have someone who wished your safety with all their heart. Though he wanted to accept this feeling so much that it physically hurt, his fear held him back. Fear of this all being a joke, or short-lived and sure to leave him depressed and heart-broken.

Sasuke noticed the uncertainty in his eyes and yearned to quell those fears. Slowly closing the remaining distance between them, his lips brushed against Naruto's cheek as he murmured, "I'll show you". He slid his lips over to connect with rough, chapped, bitter, but utterly perfect lips. Sasuke kissed Naruto for the second time in his life and could only wonder why he waited so long to do this again.

Similar thoughts ran through Naruto's head, as he clung to Sasuke like a life-line, not letting even the need for oxygen tear them apart. This was what he wanted, needed, had been waiting for. Sasuke was only willing to provide.

"I don't want you to ever feel that way again. Talking has never been a problem for you before." He smirked as he started to rub Naruto's arm soothingly, "So talk. Just you and me. Let me know." Seeing the intense worried look so different from the stares he got from the villagers which ranged from hatred to cold indifference, he felt himself to loosen up. He decided to start there; the looks that he could never escape from. Loneliness, the stress of being someone you don't want to be all the time, the nightmares from his childhood, the reasons he wore orange, ate ramen, and was a constant chatter-box. Little to none of it was happy. Sasuke continued to hold his dobe through it all, not letting up his ministrations on his arm the whole time. He lent warmth, safety, and a willing ear; three things that Naruto had never had before and that Sasuke needed again in the boy he held. When he was finally too spent to talk any longer he stopped to just enjoy the peaceful silence and the lightness of his shoulders, mind, and heart.

The morning passed them by without their knowledge because time always seems to stop when new heights are reached, relationships start, or relationships grow even further. So when Sasuke turned Naruto's chin up and brought their lips together in comfort, longing, and pure love, they both had already accepted that they were meant to move on together.

"Ne, better?"

"Much better."

**Owari **


End file.
